It’s 3:00 PM on a Tuesday. You know you need to post something—anything—to remind people that your show opens in two weeks. You scroll through your phone, past pictures of your lunch and your cat, and land on the only thing you have: a slightly blurry, poorly lit photo of your actors standing around the rehearsal room holding scripts. You sigh, slap a filter on it, write, “Great rehearsal tonight! You don’t want to miss this one!” and hit ‘post,’ feeling a familiar mix of relief and disappointment.
If this scene feels painfully familiar, you’re not alone. For busy, under-resourced theatre companies everywhere, the default "rehearsal photo" has become a social media crutch. It’s easy, it fills the void, and it feels like you’re doing something. But here’s the hard truth: it’s a trap. On its own, the standard rehearsal shot is one of the least effective tools in your marketing arsenal.
Why? Because it shows the process, not the product your audience is actually buying. It lacks context, rarely tells a compelling story, and speaks more to other theatre people than it does to the ticket-buying public. Your followers don't want to see the work; they want to feel the magic.
This isn't just a feeling; it's backed by data. According to a 2023 HubSpot report, short-form video has the highest ROI of any social media marketing strategy, with 33% of marketers citing it as their most effective tool. When our default is a static, uninspired photo, we're leaving our most powerful storytelling medium on the table.
The good news is that breaking out of this rut doesn't require a bigger budget, a fancy camera, or a marketing degree. It just requires a shift in perspective. Here are seven specific, low-effort social media ideas that go beyond the rehearsal photo to create genuine intrigue and turn followers into audience members.
Before we dive in, let’s establish the core principle. The goal of your theatre's social media is not to prove you're working hard. The goal is to sell an experience—an evening of laughter, catharsis, suspense, or wonder. Every post should be created through the lens of the audience, answering their unspoken question: "Why should I trade my Friday night and my hard-earned money for a seat at this show?"
Now, let's get to the ideas that will help you do just that.
The Concept: A short, 30-second vertical video where an actor, ideally in a key costume piece or holding a significant prop, introduces themselves as their character. They don't break the fourth wall but speak from the character's unique perspective about their wants, fears, or secrets.
Why It Sells Tickets: This immediately hooks the audience into the story, which is the reason they go to the theatre. A standard bio about an actor is nice for the program, but hearing directly from the cynical detective about the case that haunts him, or from the hopeless romantic about the love she’s willing to risk it all for, is infinitely more compelling. It creates an emotional investment before the curtain even rises and makes people want to see how that character's story plays out.
The Easy Way: Pull an actor aside for five minutes before or after rehearsal. Give them a simple, evocative prompt: "In one sentence, what is the one thing you want more than anything else in the world?" or "What's your biggest secret?" or "What do you really think about [another character's name]?" Record their answer on a smartphone, add a caption with the character's name, and post it to Instagram Reels, TikTok, or Facebook Stories.
Pro Tip: Create a series of these. Post one character video every other day in the week leading up to opening, creating a thread of interconnected desires and conflicts that build anticipation.
The Concept: A short, satisfying time-lapse video showing a piece of the set being built and painted, or a complex costume being pinned, sewn, and detailed by your designer.
Why It Sells Tickets: It visually communicates the high production value of your show and the incredible craftsmanship involved. This is a powerful way to justify the ticket price in a way a simple photo cannot. It makes audiences feel like they're getting a privileged peek behind the curtain, creating a deeper appreciation for the world they’re about to enter and the talent that brought it to life.
The Easy Way: Prop a smartphone on a tripod or a stable stack of books in the corner of your scene shop or costume shop. Use the phone's built-in time-lapse feature to record for an hour or two while work is being done. Use a free mobile video editing app like CapCut or InShot to trim the clip to a punchy 15 seconds, add some dramatic or upbeat music, and post it.
Pro Tip: Don't just post the video. In the caption, give a shout-out to your scenic designer or costumer by name. This not only gives credit to your talented team but also adds a human element to the magic.
The Concept: A scheduled, 15-minute live Q&A session with the director on Instagram or Facebook. This isn't a formal interview, but a casual, passionate conversation about the show.
Why It Sells Tickets: This builds a personal connection and establishes the show as a unique artistic event, not just another community play. Hearing the director's passion for the story, their unique take on the material, or why this play is important right now can be the final push someone needs to commit to buying a ticket. It transforms the show from a product into a must-see event curated by a compelling artist.
The Easy Way: Announce the Live Q&A 24 hours in advance on your social channels. Use the "Questions" sticker on an Instagram Story to collect questions from your followers beforehand, ensuring you have material to talk about. At the scheduled time, prop up your phone, thank everyone for joining, and just talk from the heart about why you love this show and what you hope the audience will take away from it.
Pro Tip: Save the Live video to your feed after it's over. This allows people who missed it to watch it later, extending the life and impact of your content.
The Concept: A clean, beautifully designed graphic featuring one powerful, funny, or intriguing line of dialogue from the play's script.
Why It Sells Tickets: It perfectly teases the show's tone—is it a laugh-out-loud comedy? A tense drama? A mind-bending thriller? A killer line of dialogue is like a movie trailer in miniature; it can be incredibly compelling and is highly shareable, allowing your followers to essentially market the show for you. It creates an "information gap," making people curious about the context of the line.
The Easy Way: Use a free Canva template. Input your show's branding (colors and fonts are key for consistency!). Drop in the quote, add the playwright's name, your theatre's logo, and the show dates. You can easily create three or four different versions in a single 20-minute session.
Pro Tip: In the caption, ask your audience a question related to the quote. If the line is, "The things I do for love," your caption could be, "What's the craziest thing you've ever done for love? Let us know in the comments!" This drives engagement, which in turn boosts your post's visibility in the algorithm.
The Concept: Actively solicit and then immediately showcase the enthusiastic, authentic reactions from your opening weekend audience.
Why It Sells Tickets: Social proof is the single most powerful and persuasive tool in marketing. According to extensive research from BrightLocal, 98% of consumers read online reviews for local businesses. A quote from a peer saying, "This was the funniest show I've seen all year!" is far more convincing than anything you can say about yourself. It builds trust and creates a powerful sense of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out).
The Easy Way: As the thrilled audience leaves the theatre after a great show, have an energetic volunteer stand near the exit with a small sign that says, "Loved the show? Tell us why!" and ask people for their one-sentence review on camera. Alternatively, screenshot positive comments on your Facebook page (always ask for permission before using their full name!) and drop them into a branded Canva template under a bold headline like "What Audiences Are Saying!"
Pro Tip: When you post a testimonial, tag the person who gave it (with their permission). This not only thanks them but also shows their friends and network that they endorsed your show, amplifying your reach exponentially.
The Concept: A side-by-side post or carousel showing a picture of a snippet of the script next to a high-quality photo or 10-second video clip of that exact moment being performed on stage.
Why It Sells Tickets: This brilliantly highlights the unique "magic" of live theatre. It shows how your team transforms black words on a white page into a living, breathing, three-dimensional moment. This powerfully demonstrates the value of the experience and the incredible talent your audience is paying to see.
The Easy Way: Take a clear, well-lit photo of an interesting page of the script. During your tech rehearsal or a photo call, make sure to get a great photo or a short video clip of that same scene. Use Instagram's Carousel feature to have users swipe from the page to the stage, creating a satisfying reveal.
Pro Tip: Choose a moment that involves a key technical element—a dramatic lighting shift, a sound cue, or a unique set piece. In the caption, credit the designers who made that moment possible.
The Concept: A fun, quirky post or Instagram Story that follows a single, important prop through its "day" at the theatre.
Why It Sells Tickets: It's different, memorable, and sparks curiosity in a low-stakes, playful way. Why is that specific, sealed letter so important? Who is going to drink from that ornate poison bottle? It creates a small narrative mystery that can only be solved by coming to see the show. It makes your followers feel like insiders who are in on a fun secret.
The Easy Way: Choose a visually interesting prop that is central to the plot. Take a few photos: the prop on the props table with a "do not touch" sign, the prop in an actor's hand during a scene, the prop sitting alone on the set under a single spotlight. Post them as a carousel with funny, first-person captions from the prop's "perspective."
Your theatre's social media doesn't have to be a chore or a constant loop of those same-old rehearsal photos. By shifting your focus from "what we're doing" to "what you'll experience," you can turn your social channels from a daunting obligation into a creative, fun, and incredibly effective part of your marketing engine. You are a storyteller on stage; these ideas simply allow you to be a storyteller online as well.
These seven ideas are designed to do more than just fill your content calendar; they are designed to create engagement that leads directly to sales by telling a compelling story about your story.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. If you're ready to build a complete, stress-free social media strategy and turn your online presence into a ticket-selling powerhouse, then you need the complete playbook. The Show Must Go On(Line) is packed with content calendars, campaign strategies, and step-by-step guides just like this one, all tailored for busy theatre-makers.
Stop guessing what to post—click here to buy your copy and start marketing with confidence!